031. OLD SERVICES

The beautiful view in front of his parked car should have relaxed Harry.

The moon reflected on the water, illuminating the breathtaking bridge that connected one side of the city to the other with its glow. It was a magnificent thing to see at night. Without the sounds of the busy street traffic and honking car horns, one could easily take in the sights and appreciate the city for what it was. Harry always enjoyed escaping to places like this whenever he was overwhelmed or wanted a moment of peace.

However, tonight was far from one of those moments. There was no time to take in the sights or watch the boats pass throughout the night. Only a few seconds of serenity remained before everything would start.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?"

"Yes."

Harry wanted to be honest, but he had no other choice. The three of them had no other choice. Time was running out, and there were too many things on the line to play around any longer. It was hard to admit he had lost his edge. Within an instant, everything they had worked towards was spiralling. And keeping the business as clean as possible was no longer an option.

"We still have time," Colson assured him as if reading his friend's mind. "It's not as bad as you think it is."

Harry strummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "I won't let us go under on my account. Besides, maybe all they'll want is to get involved with the club."

Much like Colson, Harry doubted his words. Based on their last conversation, Harry knew Gio had an inkling of his past and had a feeling it would be part of the deal. But Harry forced himself to keep an open mind - mainly since the Romano's were their only current lead.

"Three o'clock," Dallas announced from the passenger seat in the other vehicle, nodding towards the figure standing by the door. "Let's find out what Money Bags has to say."

Kip rolled down the window in the back seat and looked across at Harry. "What am I going to do?" Kip squeaked from his spot.

"Stay here."

Colson tossed him a bottle of water. "And don't die."

Harry got out of his car and straightened his jacket. He always preferred driving alone - it gave him the time he desperately needed before going in. But now, that didn't work for him anymore. Only one thing gave him peace and serenity, and she was working at the bar right now.

As Dallas and Colson exited the car parked directly next to his, Harry did his best to remain calm. Nerves weren't a normal feeling for him, but something told him that tonight wouldn't be like any other meeting. Stepping into a crime family's place of business was nothing to fool around about. However, Harry felt like it was time for this type of partnership. Not just for the business side of things but also for protection. They didn't know who was out there or what they knew. But Harry worried soon enough that they would make their appearance.

"Ah, Gentlemen, welcome," Giovanni greeted. "Aren't we all looking sharp tonight?"

The three of them always tried to look their best for any meeting. Mostly that just meant appearing tidier with their choice of clothing. Harry and Colson were happy to toss on a pair of slacks, a button-down shirt and a suit jacket. On the other hand, Dallas struggled more with the attire, evident by how he pulled at the collar of his dress shirt.

"I'm sure you followed protocol and abided by our one gun rule. However, we can never be too sure with new individuals," Giovanni gestured to the large men behind him, "My friends here will be doing a quick search. I hope you don't mind."

Harry forced a smile. "Of course."

Being patted down by a large man didn't bother any of them - they were used to it. There was something about Giovanni that annoyed Harry to no end.

Maybe it was his tone or the way he conducted himself. Possibly it could have been due to how an ID was made with his ex-girlfriend's information and given to Rory. It could be a more straightforward reason with how he dressed or accessorized, always embellishing an outfit with gold accessories.

Or maybe it was how he stared at Harry as if to say, "I know your girl better than you do, and I will always remind you of that."

Whatever it was, Harry knew he had to swallow the feeling.

Tonight was about making a good impression, not adding more enemies to the list.

"Clean," each man gruffed to Giovanni before disappearing behind the door.

"Excellent. Follow me."

Stepping inside the warehouse, Harry immediately took a scan of his surroundings. Storage units lined up in perfect rows, from one end to the other, each filled to the maximum with boxes. He even noticed a handful of employees walking around, scanning the barcodes and writing things down. Either the Romano's knew how to hire perfect actors, or there were some legitimate business dealings in this distribution centre.

Turning a sharp corner, they ended up in a narrow hallway and walked to the end. Harry glanced at his companions as Giovanni punched in a code. The three were thinking the same thing: the Romano crime empire already had much more going on than shuffling drugs through clubs.

The room they entered had an extensive oversized wood table in the center, surrounded by beautifully crafted leather chairs. Portraits of who were assumed to be family members hung from the walls in gold frames. A Persian rug covered the floor, something Harry immediately could tell cost upwards of twenty thousand dollars.

Unlike the space they had just walked through, this room screamed wealth.

"I do apologize. It appears my Zio is still on a call. He will be joining us momentarily. While we wait, would anyone like a drink?" Giovanni asked, holding a crystal vase filled with amber liquid. Without waiting for a response, he filled four glasses and handed them out. "To what I hope will be a prosperous partnership for us all," he said, holding up his glass, "Salute."

"Salute," the three others repeated in unison before taking a sip.

The door on the far side of the room opened, and a large guard stepped through, followed by another man. At first glance, it was apparent he was related to Giovanni. Aside from the fact that they looked highly alike, they carried themselves in a similar fashion. Plus, the direct greeting of "Zio" was a dead giveaway.

"Gentlemen, this is my Zio, Stefano," Giovanni introduced. "Zio, this is Harry, Colson, and Dallas."

"Ah, yes," the man said with a wide grin, moving to shake each hand. His eyes lingered on Harry longer than the others. "I am very excited to discuss our possible future together." Turning to look over his shoulder, Stefano dismissed the large guard from the room and waited until the door was closed before saying, "Let's sit. Shall we?"

After a short round of pleasantries, the conversation quickly dove into the purpose of tonight's meeting. Business. Stefano briefly explained what the building they were currently seated in was used for, primarily legal avenues and dealings with other companies.

Giovanni explained how he would move his work into the bar and the resulting profits. Everything, from the very top to the bottom, was handled within their organization. In the man's own words, this meant accountability was always at the forefront of their dealings. "No one will need to take a sudden vacation to Europe on our watch," he joked.

Harry had to force out a laugh and take a sip from his glass over that remark.

Giovanni continued, providing limited information as to how they operate undetected. Not enough to expose who they pay off, but to provide enough information to let the three men know they would be protected. Extremely protected.

Additional comments were added as to the staffing changes he would suggest to help increase profits and traffic into the bar. Harry knew these already, but he liked who worked for them. They were all trusted individuals who never had done him wrong, and people like that were hard to find.

"The easiest move would be to add our little Bambolina to the weekend shifts," Giovanni eyed the man sitting across from him. "Surely you know the profits she brings in - I can only imagine what she would do on a popular night. Do you mind if I ask why she hasn't already?"

"I do mind-" Harry began before receiving a swift kick under the table from Colson. Forcing a smile and sending his friend a quick glare, Harry cleared his throat and calmly said, "Rory has a second job that has pulled her time and focus away. She knows she is always welcomed to return and be put back on the schedule when she has the time."

"Well, if we go through with things, I would be happy to have a word with her. Persuade her to make that change sooner."

Harry's jaw clenched at his words. Before receiving another kick from Colson, he took a deep breath and said, "If that becomes necessary at the time, I can't see the harm."

Stefano clasped his hands together. "Isn't this all sounding lovely? Of course, we would be happy to provide you with a complete overview of our operations once we agree to our contract. Can't give away all our secrets now." He chuckled, handing over the document, which Colson promptly took. "Do you have any questions for us?"

"Just one," Tired of dancing around the topic, Harry strummed his fingers against the wood of the table and asked, "Surely you do well enough without adding our measly bar into the mix - these numbers benefit us far more than you. So why the fuck do you want to work with us?"

Stefano wasn't a man who appreciated being spoken to in such a tone. But instead of resorting to his usual ways of responding, he grinned and said, "Why don't we have a word alone, Harry."

Looking over his shoulder, he ignored Colson and Dallas's warry look and nodded towards the door. Without a word, his two men exited the room, followed by Giovanni.

Once the two were left alone, Stefano got up from his chair and walked to the bar cart. "Do you have an issue with the proposed profit you would receive, Harry?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I can't see where I would draw an issue with it. But I'm not a fucking idiot."

"I never said you were," he said, bringing the crystal vase over to refill Harry's glass. "I'm surprised you don't remember me." He paused - a move Harry assumed was for dramatic effect. "We met once in your past life. I had a different style back then - maybe that's why you don't remember me. More hair," he attempted to lighten the mood and pointed to his shaved head. "Or, maybe you were built to forget those you encountered back in the day." Noticing Harry's silence, the man wore an amused smile. "They did quite a number on you, didn't they? Who knew you would be able to turn yourself into a nice young man, conforming to usual societal standards. That's a testament to how strong you must be."

"What do you want, Mr. Romano?"

"Ah, straight to the point. I like it." Stefano moved to the cabinet and pulled out a file. "I won't discuss our proposed future together before any official agreements are signed. But in short, I want to hire your services. Your old services. And I'll pay you a hefty sum for each target you take out for me."

"I don't know what you mean. You must have confused me with someone else."

"Do I?" Stefano slid the folder across the table.

With one glance at the information in front of him, Harry felt the pain shooting through his skull. Except for this time, he could no longer shrug off the feeling - it was written all over his face and shown through his body as he hunched forward, gripping the edge of the table.

"Ah, there he is," Stefano commented happily, "No matter how hard you try, you can't escape it, can you?"

Harry glared at the man with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw. "Where did you get this?"

"As I said, I know all about you, and I would rather use the information I have on you to make something worth my while... for both of us, of course. You're not meant to shuffle drugs through a club for a living. This," he gestured to the folder, "is what you're meant to do with your gift." Flipping through the pages, Stefano clicked his tongue. "Would be a shame if she found out about that, hm?" He flipped the page and chuckled. "Ah, that one did some worldwide damage, didn't it? This one," he turned to another page, "I have to say is one of my favourites that you did. Clean. Simple. No mess. Exactly how I like to operate."

Harry remained silent and straightened his posture. "We're done here, Mr. Romano," he said firmly before heading towards the door.

"It would be a shame if this ended up in the wrong hands," Stefano called out from behind. "With so many people wondering what happened to their loved ones, I'm sure they are still looking for answers."

"Is this your pathetic attempt at blackmailing?"

"Blackmail? Heavens no, son. I am giving you an opportunity to return to who you truly are."

"Well, it's too damn bad there's no evidence for them ever to know who did it."

He nodded in agreement. "That is true. However, some might not need any proof. Especially if they've caught a glimpse of what you can do." The man's smile broadened as Harry turned around. "I play fair, Harry. You do a job for me, and I pay you a hefty sum. Gio runs drugs through your club, and it makes a beautiful profit every month. Triple what it was making before. I'll even tell you who your first target is." Stefano pulled out another file and handed it forward. "I bet this sweetens the deal, doesn't it?"

Harry looked down at the brief. It did sweeten the deal - and that wasn't due to the price tag attached. It was who it was that greatly piqued his interest.

"Keep in mind, Harry. I know about your past. And I don't say that as a threat. I say that as an advantage for you. If there's anything you need to know about who you were, I can provide you with information," he said, stepping forward. "Or, if you had a question about what they're doing now. Say, if you want to know why a car was tailing a pretty brunette around, I may be able to find out why for you." Stefano returned to his chair. "You know, Giovanni is a smart man. He is extremely loyal, and he has proven to be nothing like his piece of shit father. But he is not in charge."

"Is there a reason you're giving me a background on his qualities?"

Stefano grinned. "If there was something that bothered you about him, say, his friendship with a certain young woman, I would be happy to put an end to that."

"Do you really think some random whore your nephew enjoys playing saviour to is worth that much to me?"

"I am only letting you know the..." he waved his hand aimlessly in the air as he thought of a word, "benefits, let's call them, I can provide you. Giovanni is smart, but he is not on your level. He should be below you, working the clubs, while you take over the bigger jobs. And I enjoy abundantly rewarding those who fulfill those jobs." Stefano looked down at his files and dismissively said, "I expect an answer from you by the end of the month."

Harry remained at the door. "This," he pointed to the folder full of his past, "stays between us. And I want it destroyed."

"Join me, and it will be. If there is one thing you should know about me, Harry, it's that I treat all my partners like family. And my family," he poured himself a drink, "Is something I would kill an entire room of people for." 

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